Have you heard of the Bombina bombina?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (385798)
Rockingham, Australia
August 8, 2026 8:42am CST
I heard about the following on a quiz night a few nights ago. There are some animals whose scientific binomial name repeats the same word. This is also known as a tautonym.
I’ll give the common name first then the scientific name:
American bison (Bison bison)
Black rat (Rattus rattus)
Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla)
Red-footed booby (Sula sula)
Horned viper (Cerastes cerastes)
Fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina)
Wolverine (Gulo gulo).
I particularly like the Bombina bombina. It sounds like a dance of some sort.
The photo is mine.
9 people like this
8 responses
@rebelann (118401)
• El Paso, Texas
4h
Oh how funny. Until now I thought the scientic name for the Bison was American Bison.
Now I have to check out some of those kritters, like the Bombina, I've never seen one of those.
@DaddyEvil (176680)
• United States
19m
I immediately thought of the binomial ho mo sapiens sapiens, although bombina bombina is more fun to say, I admit. 
@AliCanary (4813)
•
4h
I knew about Bison bison and Rattus rattus (that one's my favorite), but I am learning these new ones today! Gulo gulo sounds like an African tropical disease. "Oh no, he has been stricken with gulo gulo fever!"
